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Every year in the fall, each of TLA’s 10 Districts holds a day-long meeting for local members, which is a fantastic opportunity for networking and learning. This year, I had the opportunity to attend six of these meetings on behalf of the Executive Board, and my local meeting as an attendee, and it has been one of the privileges of my presidential term.
Texas is a big state, as we all know, and traveling to these meetings definitely drove that home. I’ve been from Lubbock to Corpus Christi, from El Paso to Granbury, and many points in between. Across those six meetings, I traveled more than 4,000 miles. When you add on the four meetings attended by Elizabeth Howard, TLA Past-President, and Melissa Rippy, President-Elect, that number is nearly 6000 miles!
Those miles are worth the travel to meet members and hear about their challenges, needs, and success stories. Getting to hear the stories about what is going on in libraries across Texas is both invigorating and, at times, heartbreaking. During my fall travels, I chatted with members celebrating successful community outreach programs, fighting back against local book censorship, and working to educate their administrators and patrons about the importance of funding and protecting libraries.
The particulars in each community might be different, but library workers across the state face similar issues and experiences. And it is important that we tell these stories not only to each other, but to our friends, schools, community members, and legislators, so they understand the power and importance of libraries and the challenges we face.
In an organization the size of TLA, making long-lasting connections can sometimes feel difficult. The District Meetings are a nice opportunity to network with fellow members in your area in a small, focused setting. They are also a great way to get involved as a district leader or by presenting to your peers. Hundreds of TLA members attend the meetings each year, and I encourage you to be one of them next fall!
Valerie Prilop TLA President – 2025 – 2026
